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Our Team

Albatross Encounter has two full time skippers who also act as tour guides.

KAIKŌURA

Albatross Encounter Staff

Albatross Encounter has two full time skippers who also act as tour guides. Both skippers have a wealth of knowledge on the Kaikoura district and the pelagic sea birds which visit the area. They also share a passion for all oceanic wildlife that they encounter whilst leading Albatross Encounter tours.

Your skippers & guides

Read more on Gary Melville

Gary Melville

Skipper

Gary Melville

Skipper

Gary Melville

Gary or "Gazza" (as he is locally known) is one of our most experienced and longest serving skippers. He has worked for Encounter Kaikoura since 1998 and brings with him a wealth of pelagic seabird experience with 25 years of fishing in the Kaikoura area.

His adventures have taken him all around the world including a circumnavigation of   Antarctica, South America and South Africa, certainly well travelled!!! His favourite places include South Georgia, South Thule and of course Kaikoura.

Gary has been skippering on our Albatross Encounter since its inception. When he’s not taking people out to see the albatross, he likes to spend time nurturing his garden and using his organic vegetable patch to create culinary masterpieces in his kitchen.

Read more on Tracy Cooper

Tracy Cooper

Skipper & Guide

Tracy Cooper

Skipper & Guide

Tracy Cooper

Tracy Cooper started out with Encounter Kaikoura in 2005 as guide on our dolphin boats and in 2011 she successfully gained her Commercial Launchmasters Certificate and now shares the skippering on Encounter II our birdwatching vessel. Tracy has a degree in Environmental Science and has worked on research projects around the world including the Falkland Islands, Borneo and Hong Kong. During her free time she likes the challenges of exploring the outdoors with weekends away spent climbing mountains and tramping. Tracy also enjoys travelling and has hitch-hiked through the Amazon with Antarctica standing out as her favourite place.

Encounter Café Team

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Pete

Head Chef

Pete

Head Chef

Pete

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Lena

Chef

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Chef

Lena

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Nico

Chef

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Chef

Nico

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Carl

Chef

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Chef

Carl

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Sariah

Cook

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Cook

Sariah

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Bridget

Baker

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Baker

Bridget

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Wei Yee

Kitchen Assistant

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Kitchen Assistant

Wei Yee

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Videa

General Hand

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General Hand

Videa

Read more on Melissa

Melissa

Kitchen Hand

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Kitchen Hand

Melissa

Read more on Amelia

Amelia

Student Team Member

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Student Team Member

Amelia

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Nathalie

FOH Team Leader

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FOH Team Leader

Nathalie

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Kylie

FOH Team Leader

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FOH Team Leader

Kylie

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Sam

FOH Team Member

Sam

FOH Team Member

Sam

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Syriely

FOH Shift Leader

Syriely Smile

FOH Shift Leader

Syriely

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Summer

FOH Team Member

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FOH Team Member

Summer

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Rob

FOH Team Member

Rob

FOH Team Member

Rob

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Grace

Student Team Member

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Student Team Member

Grace

Read more on Mia Rose

Mia Rose

Student Team Member

Mia

Student Team Member

Mia Rose

Read more on Guadalupe

Guadalupe

FOH Team Member

Guadalupe

FOH Team Member

Guadalupe

Read more on Suzy

Suzy

FOH Team Member

Suzy

FOH Team Member

Suzy

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Simona

FOH Team Member

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FOH Team Member

Simona

Customer Service Team

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Joanna

Customer Service Supervisor

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Customer Service Supervisor

Joanna

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Leigh

Reservations Supervisor & Guide

Leigh

Reservations Supervisor & Guide

Leigh

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Nathalie

Customer Service & Cafe

Natalie

Customer Service & Cafe

Nathalie

Read more on Alicja

Alicja

Customer Service & Cafe

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Customer Service & Cafe

Alicja

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Mawhi

Customer Service Team Member

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Customer Service Team Member

Mawhi

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Huifang

Customer Service & Cafe

Huifang

Customer Service & Cafe

Huifang

Read more on Megan

Megan

Customer Service Shift Leader

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Customer Service Shift Leader

Megan

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Asana

Customer Service Team Member

Asana

Customer Service Team Member

Asana

Read more on Eden

Eden

Customer Service Shift Leader

Eden

Customer Service Shift Leader

Eden

Read more on Lesley

Lesley

Retail Manager

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Retail Manager

Lesley

Read more on Heather

Heather

Retail Superstar

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Retail Superstar

Heather